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Testimonials

“Moir Group has the ability to provide constructive advice. They have a clear understanding of their subject matter and provide practical alternative solutions, which greatly assist in resolving issues.”

Domenic Chiera, Chief Financial Officer, Lake Maintenance

“I can confidently recommend Moir Learning as a great resource to assist someone entering the job market. As a new immigrant, Moir Learning Services took the time to review my CV with me and offer suggestions on how to better align it to the Australian style. They also offered feedback and advice to help me better myself in the marketplace. They were a pleasure to work with.”

“After spending time with Moir Learning Services, to go through my resume and LinkedIn account, I have learned techniques in maximising their use and I have gained more confidence in my job search. I’m highly recommending this session to anyone who has just come back into the job market.”

Belinda Beattie, Senior Commercial Finance Manager, Apple

“Matthew Talbot Homeless Services are pleased to acknowledge and commend Moir Group for their commitment to the ‘Work it out’ Program. The importance of the program can, and will, make a major difference in assisting our clients to seek employment and help rebuild their confidence and self-esteem.”

“I completed a CV/LinkedIn session with Moir Group and it was absolutely brilliant. I've come away with the confidence that they are up-to-date and professional. I would recommend this session as a worthwhile investment for anyone re-entering the job market.”

David Kneeshaw, General Manager, Finance and Business Operations, Intercompany and Stock

“It is excellent to work with an organisation that is able to adapt to our needs so willingly and effectively. The facilitators are always professional and committed to ensure that all participants involved are provided with personal attention. Feedback from participants of each workshop is outstanding. Moir Group displays a capacity to reach out to the disadvantaged; they offer compassion to individual needs and provide real practical advice to our service users affected by homelessness, or at risk of homelessness.
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“The people at Moir Group understand our requirements and consistently provide quality finance and accounting people to our team. I would recommend Moir Group to those who are looking for professionalism and transparency in a recruitment partner.”

Mark Roberts, Director , Human Resources, amaysim Australia

“We have worked with Moir Group on a number of projects over the last 12 months. I have found them to be helpful and reliable in producing quality candidates for our business. I would have no problem recommending Moir Group for finance recruitment needs and will definitely work with them again in the future.”

Kim Van Der Poel, People Advisor, Dalkia Energy Solutions

“With the understanding and knowledge Moir Group have acquired of our business over the past 2 years, they are capable of meeting our exact requirements and we can always rely on them for high quality candidates. They are not only reliable and efficient, but, very friendly to work with. If asked, I would recommend Moir Group’s services.”

Raheel Irfan, Group AP Manager, Idameneo Pty Ltd

“Moir Group have consistently introduced quality candidates to our organisation. Their experienced team and willingness to understand the client ensures the right people are employed and gives me every confidence in returning to Moir Group for recruitment advice and assistance.”

Chris Mamarelis, Chief Financial Officer, The Whiddon Group

“Moir Group assisted Steadfast in the recruitment of multiple roles. I enjoyed working with them and they delivered excellent outcomes and displayed a high level of professionalism and integrity at all times”

Rosalie Lau, Group Financial Controller, Steadfast Group

“I thoroughly enjoyed working with Moir Group. Their style is professional and thorough and they worked hard to source some excellent talent for our business.”

Sandra Cittadini, Senior HR Manager, SunRice

"We needed to build a quality team in a short space of time and Moir Group were key in assisting us. They listened to our needs and presented the right people to help us develop the culture we had begun building. As a result the transition has been an overwhelming success.”

Gary Margetson, Head of Shared Services, News Corporation

"We have been working with Moir Group for over 12 months now and have filled a number of senior roles. Their feedback, preparedness to challenge, as well as provide sound advice, has been invaluable to us. They constantly sought to understand our needs, to refine that understanding and to ensure we were able to continue moving forward. Their service throughout the process was exceptional.”

Carol Pegler, Director of Human Resources, Bard

“Integrity, professionalism and the desire to find the right fit between candidates and prospective employers - it was a pleasure to experience these attributes with Moir Group. Their commitment to finding the right role with the right cultural fit was second to none and I’m looking forward to maintaining my relationship with the Moir Group well into the future. The Moir Group does indeed stand out from the rest.”

"Thank you very much for helping to deliver outstanding candidates for this role. In comparison with other agencies, working with you was pleasant, professional and provided a great outcome."

Stuart Rennie,Church & Dwight

"Moir Group handled this process in an exceptionally professional way."

Craig Adams, Chief Financial Office, Clarendon Homes

"I will definitely stay in touch with Moir Group, I hold your company in very high regard and appreciate that your employees are genuine people who care about others, not just the outcomes."

Michelle Adam, Finance Manager, Woolworths

"I have dealt with a number of recruitment agencies, but by far Moir Group stands head and shoulders above all of them. I have found the engagement experience with Moir Group to be ground-breaking, new and so refreshing."

Hamilton, Candidate

"It was an absolute pleasure working with the wider Moir Group team and please be advised that I have recommended Moir Group amongst my network from both a candidate and client perspective."

Tim Howells, Software Controller, Microsoft

"The feedback, advice and enthusiasm Moir Group exhibits is absolutely refreshing. Hugely impressed with Moir Group."

Chris McFadden, Candidate

"A quick note to say thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement. Various conversations with your team and their positive attitude and willingness to explore options with me simply reinforced to me that you understood that its about people's lives and not just the numbers."

"Thanks again for your personable professionalism and delivering on the promise of the Moir Group brand.

Wayne McCusker, Managing Director, Church & Dwight

"Moir Group thank you so much for your superb professional advice and warm encouragement. I'm very grateful"

Cherry Liu, Candidate

"Moir Group is great and I thoroughly enjoyed working with you as a company. You are very good at what you do, always have a good understanding of me & our business and are great people to deal with.

Kristian Mertens, Chief Financial Officer, Norman Disney & Young

" Moir Group is the best agency in Sydney without a doubt, your professionalism and kindness is rare these days."

Alessandra Rizzo, Commercial Analyst, Inghams Enterprises Pty Limited

"Moir Group really stand out in comparison to other agencies, you work together as a team and genuinely are passionate about finding people a job. The fact that I felt this when I first met Moir Group and still feel it now means it must be an important part of your culture as a whole, it sets you apart from all other agencies. Moir Group are by far the best!”

Steven Davies, Candidate

"Angela has been a valuable resource and support in bouncing ideas off in a competitive job market. She has a depth of knowledge, shown great empathy and I have found her advice to be relatable and grounded. I would highly recommend Angela to someone seeking advice in their job search."

Linda Lukban, Candidate

"I'm glad that I have met the right people! Job satisfaction = fulfilled life - says it all.."

Moir Recruitment News

“But I Don’t Have a Network…!”

“But I don’t really have a network”. This is a statement I hear quite regularly from some of my clients. Ironically, quite often when we talk through how they have secured their previous few roles, it tends to be through an ex work colleague, friend etc…… which is their network! It isn’t very often that people tell me they secured their last role through applying to an advert on a job board!

Many people are quite intimidated at the thought of “networking”, but it is important to remember that everyone can develop and nurture a professional business network. Additionally, most people also don’t like the idea of “selling” themselves” or of feeling that they are being “sold” to. However, if you approach networking as getting to know the other person, asking them questions and then listening to what they have to say, and not just making it all about you, then it can actually be enjoyable! Selfish networkers tend to approach a conversation based on what they can get out of it, and what is in it for them. Relationship builders will aim to find out what they can do for others.

Remember, research shows that 70% of today’s jobs are gained through networking and utilising your own contacts. Networking is about building relationships, sharing information and finding sources of support, and is an ongoing life skill, not just something you do when you want something. Your best advocates are people who know you, worked with you previously and who can refer you on to new contacts.

Start with people you trust and respect that have similar values to you. This may be current work colleagues, ex-work colleagues, close friends, university friends, family friends, contacts through sports clubs, parents through your kids schools etc. Approach them for advice, in general most people will be very happy to help. Ask your current contacts for referrals, this is an easy way to build your network. Offer to help people, as what you give out will come back. Every time you meet someone that you would like to have in your network ensure you reach out immediately. The easiest way to do this is by sending them a LinkedIn request to connect. This will keep your network complete and up-to-date. Ensure you have the LinkedIn app on your mobile then you can connect with them in real-time.

Let your network know that you would value their advice to help with your job search. Spread your “feelers” as far as possible and always thank people for their help. You can also ask friends or contacts to refer you into their current employer or ask them for a contact you can approach directly. Be aware that many companies have a monetary referral bonus they pay to internal staff.

Before you approach people for advice the number one thing is knowing what you are going to say, it is much easier for people to assist you if you know what you are looking for. Always be positive and grateful, thank people for their help and always offer to help them in return in some way. If you are unemployed then treat this as a full-time job. If you are employed then dedicate at least an hour a day to building your network.

Remember that it’s all about quality not necessarily quantity. Some of the best-connected entrepreneurs don’t have the biggest networks or the highest number of connections on LinkedIn. Instead, they might work with a smaller, tightly knit groups of connections.

Always remember to follow up with the people you have met and if you have said you will send them an article, or forward on a contacts details, then make sure you do it.

Stop focusing on just networking and think about how you can help and advise people.

Finally, don’t make it “all about me”!

Angela Farmeary will be presenting on "Unlocking the Hidden Job Market" on the 14th of September - go to our website to find out more and RSVP!

In the workplace of today, many of us are dealing with multiple short term demands and a pressure to fight fires. It is not always easy to find or justify the time to consider trends in the wider market, with questions such as "where is the market going?" and "how do we ensure our strategy focuses forwards, not backwards?" So, how do we discern between trends and fads?

This post argues that to be successful, leaders of tomorrow need to find that elusive time and focus, no matter what your background or function, and balancing short term demands with a deep commitment to understanding consumers.

According to a Simon Corah, CEO of the Sydney based Growth Mantra consultancy, trends are integral to strategy, and if we ignore trends or misinterpret them as passing fads, we are at risk of being left behind, with such high profile examples include Kodak and Nokia.

Simon argues that it is consumers that leaders of tomorrow, should look to because consumers set trends.By focusing on consumers and what consumers are doing, we can gain those valuable insights and a deeper understanding of where to head next.

At a recent Moir Group event, Simon highlighted the following eight super- trends:

Personalisation- Think some of the latest health apps. Google Health sells tailored health insurance based on your unique DNA and is one of the fastest growing health insurance offers globally.

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. - It is predicted that automation will grow exponentially in the next few years.On the one hand many jobs are predicted to become obsolete.One example often sited is routine compliance work.Yet on the other hand, a new breed of jobs are likely to grow in their place, including those of which we haven't yet heard much, such as automation ethicists or automation economists.

Share economy. - This trend is already well underway - consumers are demonstrating less interest in ownership and more interest in paid access or subscription.Air BnB is one example.Another is Spotify.

Open Innovation.- The STAR Alliance in the airline industry illustrates the trend towards collaboration in instances where there is no geographic competition.

Transparency. - Simon's example for this super-trend is Nike.Remember the storm in negative publicity that Nike experienced when the public learned of their abusive labour practices.Manufacture was outsourced overseas with workers being paid as little as 14c per hour.Having hit rock-bottom, Nike used transparency to address the potentially catastrophic scenario, publicly acknowledging their issues and printing a full list of contracted factories.Nike improved overseas workers pay and conditions, and published a detailed report on working conditions -'warts and all', embracing transparency to rebuild trust with consumers.

Simplification.An obsession for us at Moir Group and many leading businesses who continually strive to reduce complexity and get closer to making the customer journey as easy as possible.Amazon is seen as a world class benchmark in simplifying the consumer experience.

Privacy and Security. - Another trend with which we are already grappling with.Large companies such as Facebook and Google hold vast amounts of personal data.What level of privacy are we as consumers prepared to accept?Concurrently, as businesses we are all gaining more and more information about current and potential customers.How do we make use of this rich information responsibly, protecting the safety and interests of our consumers and ourselves?

Convergence. - The traditional distinction between many industries is blurring and as businesses evolve and adapt to the rapidly changing landscape, another super trend relates to convergence.The home furnishing business IKEA is also known for its food. Is Apple Home a technology offer, a home improvement or an electronics service?And importantly, what business are you in?

Bluetooth-enabled bandaging can now monitor and potentially revolutionise wound care.How about a Light N Easy menu based on your unique genome?Can a 3D printer produce a replacement human organ?Metromile's pay per mile insurance is an example of personalised insurance, which is extremely attractiveto low mileage drivers.And swim suits can now alert the wearer when they are getting burned. While we don't know what will work, if we don'ttry we will be the next Kodak? By gaining a deep understanding of consumers, their current behaviour and where they are moving, leaders of tomorrow give themselves the best chance of adapting to our rapidly changing world and the best opportunities for future success.

If you'd like to know more about Moir Group's progress in developing a deeper .understanding of our candidates and clients, I would love to hear from you, please contact me on 02 9262 4836 or stephenmoir@moirgroup.com.au.

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Recently we were very fortunate to have guest speaker Keren Smedley, from Experience Matters, speak at a lunchtime event for our candidate community. Keren’s topic was the very popular “How to Make your Age Work for You”

Keren gave some really interesting insights to a captivated audience. Her key message for the day was to always stay positive and to see getting older as a privilege and to ensure you are always living in the moment and focussing on the event, not the outcome. At job interviews ensure you should aim to impress by considering the following tips:

Be enthusiastic and be confident in a calm unassuming way – have presence

Prepare and have the knowledge needed for that role

Be social media savvy

Don’t list in detail all of your experience, just list the highlights

Prepare good examples, these can also include non-work activities

Be curious and ask perceptive questions

Be transparent and inject a bit of humour!

Keren also spoke about using the Circle of Confidence to help get you in a positive frame of mind, this involved:

Draw an imaginary circle on the floor in front of you. This is a magic circle. You can only be confident and look good and be visible in here.

Stand outside the circle and think of a time when you were confident and looked good. It can be something small like driving your car to the supermarket or large like giving a speech to a hundred people. When you’ve got it, step into the circle and associate into the event. Then ask yourself:

See what you see

Hear what you hear

Feel what you feel

Hold your body as you do when confident

Breathe as you breathe when feeling good

Really get that feeling

Now come out of your circle stepping backwards. Think of another time when you felt really good about yourself. When you have, go back into the circle and repeat this process three times.

Now think of something you have to do where you don’t feel confident or look good – for example, going to a family function by yourself, being in a sun dress or swimming costume. Go back into the magic circle. Remember, you can only be confident and feel and look good in here. So put on that confidence coat.

Then ask yourself:

See what you see going well

Hear what you hear sounding good

Hold yourself as a woman with everything going for her

Breathe with a sense of serenity

When you really feel in charge, imagine yourself exiting forward from the circle cloaked in that ring of confidence and looking and feeling fantastic!

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Whether it’s true or not, the belief held by anyone over 50 is that they are unemployable and it’s impossible for them to change their job. Of course there are many who have proved that this isn’t the case but the myth remains. Many people are unfortunately made redundant and find themselves having to look for work. Others are seriously unhappy in their work but are too scared to move. At 50, if you retire at the present pensionable age, you still have 17 years left to work, and that’s a long time to be miserable.

The workplace that the baby-boomer entered was radically different and has changed dramatically since then. Most of us have done pretty well at adapting to fast-paced change, technology and globalisation. Unfortunately, others in the work place are less sure about this and ageism is rife in many organisations.

It’s easy in the light of this to lose our motivation. But now more than ever is the time we need it! With life expectancy into the 80s, there is still plenty of time for people to forge new ventures. It’s really important that we go on having aspirations and creating goals for ourselves.

Keren will explore these issues with you and how to make your age work for you not against.

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Many Australian industries are doing it tough and Australian retail is no exception.

Imagine, however, we could fast forward and retail had become one of Australia’s defining industries - a significant number and variety of local organisations were thriving, the industry had regained its old entrepreneurial courage, and new tools and tricks were helping Australian companies and their leaders to navigate and shape the global industry.

Anita’s presentation will consider the gap between where we stand today and the future we want for the industry. She will explore the challenges for leaders to reduce the gap at both an organisational and industry level. Her presentation will draw from and compare her work and experience in both retail and in high growth organisations, and intend to leave leaders with practical solutions as well as more to consider.

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It was a pleasure to welcome back Trent Duvall, National Leader - Consumer Products from KPMG Australia for a second year to discuss trends and review the performance of the retail market over the past year. Its no doubt an extremely challenging and complex time for retail leaders due to so much change, social media input, diversification and interruptions.

Key points:

Consumer sentiment showed an uplift since July 2015 but still remains volatile.

In the last 3 months recreational goods have had the strongest growth, whilst department stores are showing negative growth.

The grocery market will continue to grow but its competitive and the likes of Aldi are now moving into fresh foods so it will be interesting to see what happens in this space.

We shop 24/7 and are always connected. We need to tap into all the generations and provide a strong service directed and targeted to the way they work and live. It's a real shifting market, gone are the days of “going shopping”.

The 5 trends consumers are drawn to are imperfection and authenticity, creativity, mindfulness, accessibility and convenience.

Innovation and technology are driving so much change and transformation. Many retailers are striving to provide a seamless experience across channels. He gave some good examples of UK companies that are achieving in this area.

Retailers are using analytics wisely and reacting to change immediately and pricing goods according to these changes.

There is always some interesting slides on the future look of supermarkets, retailers are embracing innovation, technology to create interactive and seamless shopping experiences.

It will of much interest to see how the landscape changes over the next year.

Thank you to everyone who came along to this event, if you would like more information on upcoming events please head to our Events Page and join our community by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and connect with us on LinkedIn to stay up to date.

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Last month, Moir Group hosted Richard Grupetta, Partner for the Asia Practice at Grant Thornton Australia. Richard addressed the very popular question many businesses are currently asking “How To Successfully Expand Into The Asia Region” and the steps you need to take to best ensure a positive result.

Richard addressed the reasons for the attraction to Asia and how the global economic “centre of gravity is “irresistibly” shifting to the Asian region. This dramatic acceleration of growth is predicted to continue well into the future seeing a significant decrease in business interest in Europe occurring at the same time.

Richard focussed predominantly on Japan, China, Korea, India and Indonesia with the most attention based on China as it is:-

Australia’s largest export market

Has a population of 1,368 million people

GDP growth rate around 6.8%

It is a transitioning market – growth in consumer, manufacturing and services markets

Growing online business

ChAFTA (China-Australia Free Trade Agreement)

Growth in Food/Beverages, consumer goods and education sectors

Richard then explained his 5 step approach when approaching the Asian market.

The best fit approach – Are you Asia ready?? Define your product/service, who are your competitors etc

Market review and ‘What if’ development – what is the market? Research!

Best options to decision

Budgeting and preparing for success

Roadmap development

Richard explained his strategy for market entry, expressed the importance of the people you involve and where to get financial support both at a State and Federal level as well as in-market support. There are also useful contacts within the Australian Alumni such as the NSW Business Chambers who can provide support and advice and of course the expert services provided by Grant Thornton.

Thank you to everyone who came along to this event, if you would like more information on upcoming events please head to our Events Page and join our community by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and connect with us on LinkedIn to stay up to date.

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Moir Group is proud to present to you our next video in our new series "Corridor Catch Ups"

Networking Tips with Angela Farmeary, Head of Learning

Moir Learning Services was established to service the learning needs of our candidates. We can help you with resume preparation, writing your cover letter, creating a sucessful and complete LinkedIn profile and Job interviews. For further information, please contact Angela Farmeary, Head of Learning at Moir Group on email angelafarmeary@moirgroup.com.au or phone 02 9262 4836 for an obligation free discussion.

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At different career stages, we all face crossroads. Whether you like to move to different jobs and organisations more frequently, or whether your preference is to stay with one company for longer periods, none of us can avoid times when we need to review our professional life. A key factor at these times is to take control of your situation. Here are some steps to take when you may be facing a career crossroad:

Create a Clear Career Plan

A career plan is a key factor in ensuring career progression. Your plan should reflect you and your personal preferences. Be very clear about any job requirements that you do and do not want, for example moving overseas. Crossroads are a great time to "think outside the square". Take a risk and consider new challenges or building your career via a lateral move.

Roles and Organisations

What sort of roles and organisations you are most interested in? In which previous jobs have you felt most comfortable? What company culture suits you? Many people find they are most comfortable in a job where there is a balance between challenge and feeling on top of their role. Getting the right cultural fit for you is essential. Trust your “gut instinct” when looking for the right organisation for you.

Your Strengths, Unique Skills and Abilities

Build your own brand. Consider your strengths, any gaps and the unique skills and abilities you can offer an employer. A breadth of skills across people, strategies and technical areas is also advantageous – so consider all aspects of what you can offer.

Undertake the Right Personal Development

Be frank with yourself when you consider your own strengths and weaknesses. Play to your strengths and undertake specific training to address any important gaps.

Writing a Winning Resume

Your RESUME is your chance to impress. A good RESUME should have:

A profile summary that includes 3 to 4 key strengths on the front sheet.

Tangible career achievements (supported by “situation, action, result” at the interview).

Simple, clear and up to date

No more than 4 pages

Networking

The best networks consist of people you trust and respect, who hold similar values to you. Networking is a key component of most people’s job search, and consists of starting and maintaining relationships with people that can help you in your career.

Why is Networking so Important? In a world of too much information, personal contacts and relationships are more important than ever. Networking keeps you in touch with your best advocates; those people who know you and with whom you have worked. Many roles never get advertised; they are filled via networks and personal connections. By keeping networking as a priority, you are more likely to find out about relevant roles.

How to Network Well

Ask people for advice and ask for referrals. Most people are happy to assist. They can help you most effectively if you can explain to them clearly about what you want to do next. Find your own “style” and formats or forums that feel right for you. A successful network should include reputable recruitment firms who understand and have an empathy with you, as well as a mentor or trusted sounding board.

LinkedIn and Other Social Media

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date, and accurately reflects your roles and career. Then use LinkedIn to stay in touch with your contacts. You may consider using LinkedIn as a means of being introduced to relevant people, if appropriate. Finding the right people to follow on Twitter can also be helpful, as can “tweeting” yourself if relevant.

Take a Risk!

Taking a risk can be as simple as accepting a secondment or project within your current organisation, undertaking extra study or taking a lateral career move. We have seen many successful examples of candidates who have taken a well calculated risk. Even if the risk does not produce the expected outcomes, there are still valuable insights and learnings gained…and you will not be the first to make a ‘glorious defeat’...

Stay Positive and Enthusiastic

Companies look for more than your technical suitability for the role. They also look for someone with a good cultural fit, and are attracted to those who are enthusiastic and keen, honest and willing to take on a new challenge. The right cultural fit helps bring the best in all of us.

For further information on career coaching you can contact your Moir Group consultant or our Head of Learning, Angela Farmeary on angelafarmeary@moirgroup.com.au or tel 02 9262 4836.

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Last month, we had the privilege to host Peta Bayman, Director Facilitating Results Pty Ltd, presenting on "Working With Unconscious Bias''. Peta talked about the diversity of a workforce and how we all have an “Unconscious Bias” towards many things in life whether it be at home, socially and/ or at work. Although we all may look at the same picture, how we interpret it is completely different and this taps into our unconscious thoughts, assumptions and opinions.

Incorrect assumptions can extend to groups resulting in:

Prejudice

Stereotyping

Discrimination

This can been seen in the workplace upon our choices of hiring staff and can lead to a team of people all with the same background, appearance and views.

The question is "How can we change this?"

Awareness – I am biased, its OK

Questions – ask different ones – think about what assumptions I have made

Perspective taking – how does this look from another, different set of shoes?

It is human nature to like people like ourselves and seek opinions from those that we know have the same opinion as us. However, diversity creates opportunity and leads to change and a world or workforce of inclusion.

Thank you to everyone who came along to this event, if you would like more information on upcoming events please head to our Events Page and join our community by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and connect with us on LinkedIn to stay up to date.